ves among the green leaves.

A hive of ladies, all in long-trained dresses, and necks according to
order, were sitting or standing or moving across the room, looking as
proud and grand as peacocks on a sunshiny day. Among them was the
President's wife--a real nice, sociable lady--who looked just as she
ought to in a black velvet, long-trained dress. In fact, of all the
women in that room, I liked her the best, she is so sweet and kind in
her manners. The minute we came in she turned round and gave us a warm,
honest smile, which was about the only downright honest thing I've seen
in Washington, as yet.

"Miss Frost," says she, "I'm delighted to see you and your relations. My
friend Senator Edmunds has told me about you!"

"Thank you," says I. "No one need want a better recommendation than he
can give. We think the world of him in our State."

"I'm glad to hear that," says she. "We think a great deal of him too; in
fact, Vermont honors herself in the Senate. But you are looking at the
flowers; they are all Japanese, in honor of the Embassy."

"You don't say so," says I; "did the Japanese bring the flowers along
with them from Japan?"

She laughed a sweet, good-natured little laugh, and says she:

"Oh, no; we raise them in the hot-houses."

Just then there was a bustle in the ante-room, and I saw a slow line of
queer-looking little folks filing along toward the east room. Mrs. Grant
had turned to talk to Cousin E. E., and I just slid out into the
green-room, and stood inside the door to see what all the fuss was
about.

Standing against the great window, nearly opposite to me, I saw the
President of these United States, with a lot of men around him in black
clothes, and farther on stood another lot with their coats all covered
over with gold and stars of precious stones a-hanging one after another
on their bosoms, and some wore swords, and some didn't; but I tell you
there was such a blaze of colors and flash of gold that it seemed to
light up the great long room like sunshine, which was convenient, for
there wasn't enough in the sky that day to light a family to bed.

While I was wondering what all this magnificence and glory meant, Cousin
Dempster happened to see me, and came up to the door.

"What on earth does all that signify in a free country," says I. "It
looks like a circus. Do they mean to ride in there? I don't see no
horses; and it seems to me their hoofs will spoil the carpet when they
come in. Are